Bustamante misses voter guide deadline

A day late and 12 million voters short? Insurance Commissioner candidate and current Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante missed by a day the July 18 deadline for candidates to file a statement for the Official Voter Information Guide that the Secretary of State’s office mails to all registered California voters.

The Secretary of State’s office confirmed that Bustamante’s campaign called the day after the July 18 deadline to see if they could still get their submission in, to no avail.

All candidates who agree to voluntary campaign spending limits are entitled to purchase a candidate statement in the voter guide. Bustamante, a Democrat, accepted the limit of $6,690,000 for the Insurance Commissioner race.

A campaign spokesman said the omission was an “oversight,” but noted that his opponent Republican Steve Poizner was not eligible to include a statement because he has not agreed to the spending limits.

No surprise there. Poizner, a Silicon Valley businessman is a millionaire who has already put $4.2 million of his own money into his campaign.